The night sky was adorned with a crescent moon and twinkling stars, while the city slept peacefully below. Yet, Daniel lay awake in bed, restless and agitated.Every time he closed his eyes, images of Freya's slender, fair waist, and the curves of her back would flash through his mind.After tossing and turning for hours, it was already past 1:00 am, and sleep still eluded him. Frustrated, Daniel decided to get up and work out.After more than a hundred push-ups, some of his restlessness finally subsided. He took a cold shower and, only then, managed to fall asleep.The next morning, Freya woke to find the apartment empty again. After a simple breakfast, she retreated to the study to work on her novel. She had to take advantage of this time before her full-time job started to build up a decent word count.By noon, Daniel still hadn't returned. Thinking back on how he'd helped her with her injury the night before, she considered calling him to ask if he wanted to come home for lunc
Ricky Lawson, Seth's nephew, and Amy together handled the arrangements for the funeral.Freya stayed by Amy's side throughout, watching as Amy greeted each mourner with a smile, not shedding a single tear. Freya supported Amy's trembling arm, feeling the frailness in her touch. Her own eyes reddened, but she didn't utter a single word of comfort. As night fell, Freya sat with Amy over dinner. While watching Amy eat calmly, Freya couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. "Mrs. Lawson, you don't have to keep it all in. It's okay to cry."Amy looked up. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she stared at Freya for a long moment. Finally, she held back her tears and said quietly, "I won't cry. Seth didn't like it when I cried. He liked it when I smiled."The moment Amy finished speaking, Freya found herself crying instead.Just then, Freya's phone vibrated in her bag. It was a call from an unknown number. After composing herself, she answered the call."Where are you?" It was Daniel.
Freya stood up. "No need. It was a patient. I was just accompanying the family. Let's head back."Daniel looked at her forlorn figure, understanding the weight of her words. Neil had been cremated here, too. That memory lingered as he silently followed her to the car and quietly started the engine.Freya sat silently in the passenger seat, staring out the window and lost in her thoughts.Trying to lighten the mood, Daniel said, "I haven't had dinner yet. Is there anything you feel like eating?""You can pick what you like. I already ate." Freya had eaten a little earlier and wasn't hungry."I've been away, so I'm not familiar with the good places around here. Any recommendations?"Freya rarely dined out due to her modest salary, which didn't leave much room for indulgence. But she thought for a moment and made a suggestion. "There's a traditional restaurant on the fourth floor of the mall. I saw an advertisement. It looks good."Daniel simply nodded and continued driving.They
Back at home, Freya approached Daniel for his Venmo."By the way, how did you get my phone number?" she asked."I got it from Grandpa."Freya nodded. After getting his Venmo, she immediately transferred half of the dinner bill to him.Daniel asked in confusion, "Why are you sending me money?""The dinner bill, we'll split it fifty-fifty," Freya said matter-of-factly.Daniel looked at her. "The moment we got married, I never expected you to pay for household expenses."Freya didn't understand the sudden seriousness in his tone and quickly explained, "This isn't about that. I just wanted to cover my own share since I ate, too.""I can easily take care of you. Keep your money for buying things you like," Daniel said as he opened a drawer, retrieved a bank card, and handed it to her."Use this card for household expenses from now on. I gave you the pin number before I left. Why haven't you used it? Did you forget the pin number?""I remember. I just don't have many expenses livin
Daniel had already changed out of his casual clothes. He was now wearing a fitted vest and slacks that highlighted his narrow waist and toned back. The perfectly tailored pants fit his long legs just right. It was a simple outfit, yet on him, it gave off an air of restraint and stoicism.Freya thought that he looked like a living mannequin.She then recalled his abs, chest muscles, and broad shoulders. Surely, he had the sleeper build.When her gaze met Daniel's eyes, Freya realized he had been watching her the whole time, amusement dancing in his eyes.Caught in the act, Freya quickly lowered her head and resumed eating her breakfast."I told you. Kids shouldn't be reading erotica," he teased."Why does he always bring up the most embarrassing things?" Freya thought while shooting him a quick glare. She said, "I said it wasn't what you think! I was just learning. That's all.""And why were you learning that kind of stuff?"Freya froze, unsure how to answer that. She couldn't e
The moment Daniel stepped out of the elevator after returning from work, the rich aroma of pork rib stew filled the air. Since this was a one-apartment-per-floor setup, he could easily tell where the delicious smell was coming from.When he opened the door, he saw Freya exercising in tight yoga clothes. She turned as she heard the door unlock, her face glistening with a fine layer of sweat. She was on her knees, her hands and chin resting on the mat, while her butt faced the entryway.The sight was so intense that Daniel instinctively reached for the shoe cabinet to grab his slippers.Freya stood up, noticing his dark expression. She figured he must have been exhausted from work and quietly put away her yoga mat before heading to the bathroom for a shower.Daniel sat on the couch and sipped on cold water, his gaze fixed on the closed bathroom door. After a while, he heard the water stop, and only then did he stand up and head to his own room.At dinner, Freya carefully observed Da
Freya soon got busy and forgot all about the dream.The study was spacious, with a six-foot-long solid wood desk positioned in the center, directly facing the floor-to-ceiling window. Towering bookshelves lined both sides of the room.This setup made it easy to divide the space. One bookshelf for each of them, and each could take a side of the desk.Freya only had a laptop but wasn't sure if Daniel would set up a desktop, so she left most of the desk for him. After tidying up, she reheated the leftover stew from last night for lunch.Being home alone made Freya feel much more at ease. She ate while scrolling through her readers' comments on her latest chapter.One reader commented, "The way you wrote the scene was so smooth!"Another replied, "Right! I could totally feel the male lead getting all worked up. It was so freaking seductive, and in a suit no less!""Hey, Cameron, don't keep these gems to yourself. Share the good stuff with everyone!""Do you do this in real life? Be
Freya was stirring the sauce for the crab when she heard the door open. She glanced up and simply said, "You're back."Daniel had changed into his indoor slippers and was now standing in the living room and watching her. She wore a loose black T-shirt and gray sweatpants. With her long hair tied up, her small frame made her look almost like a child.She was six years younger than him, and yet managed to give him a sense of home. The feeling was strange and made him almost irrational.Freya turned off the stove, covered the sauce, and reached for the steaming crab with oven mitts. When she turned around, she met his eyes. They had lost their sharpness, replaced by a softness of contentment."Why don't you go take a shower? I still have to make the mushroom soup before dinner."Daniel's gaze shifted slightly. "I'm hungry and don't want to move.""Then, sit and wait. I'll be quick."Freya turned away, still feeling his eyes on her. A flutter of nervousness made her heart race. Than